Predation on cephalopods by Pygoscelis papua and Arctocephalus gazelle at south Orkney Islands

The cephalopod diet of the gentoo penguin, Pygoscelis papua and the Ant− arctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella was comparatively analyzed at Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands. A total of 125 stomach samples were collected by the water off−loading method from gentoo penguins during the autumns of 1993, 1995 and 1996, and 39 fur seal scats were collected from mid March to April 1988. Cephalopods preyed upon by gentoo penguins were represented by 1974 beaks (1628 lower, 346 upper) which occurred in 50.4% of the samples. Lower beaks identified belonged exclusively to the squid Psychroteuthis glacialis. The mean lower rostral length (LRL) of these beaks was 1.1 mm (range 0.4– 1.8 mm). From the Antarctic fur seal scats 103 beaks (41 lower, 62 upper) were removed from 60.6% of scats which contained prey remains. The cephalopod species identified were Slosarczykovia circumantarctica and P. glacialis which constituted 78.8% and 21.1% in terms of numbers, respectively. The mean lower rostral length for S. circumantarctica was 2.7 mm (range 2.0–3.5 mm), while that of P. glacialis was 1.6 mm (range 1.0–2.5 mm). The foraging behaviour of the two top predators was analyzed and discussed according to the composition and size of their cephalopod prey

Ecocritical Poster Art: Subverting Problematic Symbolic Tropes in Contemporary Environmentalism

This creative thesis is a five-poster series critiquing symbolic tropes in contemporary environmental discourse. After establishing in the literature review symbolism’s important function in culture and society, the problematic history of environmental imagery, the field of ecocriticism, the genre of ecocritical art, and the activist potential of poster art, five examples of problematic symbolic tropes in contemporary environmentalism were selected for further exploration: anti-urbanism, greenwashing, charismatic species, apocalypse and nature as female. Written research pieces on each explain the use of the symbolic trope, why it is problematic, associated imagery, and the opportunity for ecocritical poster art. The final posters were printed, and displayed around the University of Vermont campus, with the intention of prompting viewers to think more critically about their environmentalism and the broader way in which they relate to their environment. An online survey conducted to aid in the project’s evaluation found that the posters were successful visually, as well as mostly successful, although to varying extents, in terms of communicating their individual messages

Relationship between Vigorexia, steroid use, and recreational bodybuilding practice and the effects of the closure of training centers due to the Covid-19 pandemic in young people in Argentina

The advance of stereotypes and preconceptions of what should be correct in relation to body image and the standards that society directly or indirectly imposes, as a measure and canons of what is socially accepted and weighted, leads many people to reinforce the idea of not falling within these ideals. The aim of this study was to relate the variables Vigorexia and steroid use, with the practice of bodybuilding in a group of people attending training centers for recreational or aesthetic purposes in Argentina. In the present study we will work with an observational, descriptive, and mixed non-experimental research approach; through the application of a validated questionnaire (Adonis Questionnaire), with the purpose of gathering information on the perception of concern about physical exercise and body image. The units of analysis corresponded to the 20 participants residing in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina in the period from June to December 2020 who practiced physical exercise in sports facilities. Fifty percent of the respondents belonged to the female sex, and 40 % were aged between 25 and 31 years. The mean score of the Adonis Questionnaire was 7,45 points. The results of this study do not show any general impairment in relation to the overall score of the Adonis Questionnaire, where 50 % of the sample studied had scores corresponding to body image concerns that did not affect daily life. A detailed analysis of the individual results of the study shows that the subjects show good academic-work perception

Vigorexia

The article discusses the concept of Vigorexia, also known as the Adonis Complex or Muscle Dysmorphia, which is a mental illness characterized by an obsession with body image, particularly muscularity. It was first named by psychiatrist Harrison G. Pope in the 1990s when studying weightlifters in a Boston gym. Vigorexia leads individuals to perceive themselves as small and weak despite having a muscular appearance. Some experts view Vigorexia as a behavioral addiction, marked by an obsession with exercise and the consumption of substances like anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass. It is often associated with distorted body image and dissatisfaction with one\u27s appearance. The article highlights that Vigorexia has not always been recognized as a distinct disorder and was not initially included in diagnostic manuals. Anabolic steroids, testosterone, and growth hormones are commonly abused substances among individuals with Vigorexia, contributing to physical and mental health problems. Long-term use of these substances can lead to severe health issues, including psychosis. The article also touches on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on recreational bodybuilding practitioners, as lockdowns and social distancing measures disrupted their routines, potentially exacerbating anxiety and sadness. Additionally, it distinguishes between general physical activity and bodybuilding, with the latter emphasizing muscle development, strength, and aesthetics. The practice of bodybuilding often involves weightlifting and specialized machinery in gyms. In summary, Vigorexia is a mental disorder characterized by an obsession with muscularity, distorted body image, and the abuse of substances like anabolic steroids. It has physical and mental health consequences and has become more prevalent in recent years, affecting both athletes and non-athletes

Equipos SAVER.Net : cambio de baterías de las lámparas y de los UPS

Fil: Barbero, Albane. Institut des Géosciences de l´Environnement; Francia.Fil: Libertelli, Claudio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa. Centro de Investigación en Láseres y Aplicaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; Argentina.Fil: D'elia, Raúl Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa. Centro de Investigación en Láseres y Aplicaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; Argentina.El presente manual ha sido diseñado y confeccionado por el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) y el Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa (CITEDEF) en el marco del proyecto SAVER-Net con el objetivo de ser una guía para la utilización y mantenimiento de las estaciones SAVER-Net. Los lineamientos y procedimientos aquí descriptos son dirigidos a observadores, operadores y jefes de estación quienes tienen que cumplir y hacer cumplir las medidas de seguridad y procedimientos aquí descriptos a fin de una correcta y segura utilización de los instrumentos

Petição para confirmação do direito do consumidor de utilização de programa de comunicações pela internet em redes sem fio e de conexão de dispositivos em tais redes

À medida que a indústria de telecomunicações sem fio amadurece, a consolidação e o relacionamento enFtre as empresas detentoras de infraestrutura de transporte [carriers] e os produtores de aparelhos celulares [handsets] têm revelado práticas de mercado que levantam questionamentos substanciais sobre se os consumidores estariam desfrutando de todos os benefícios possíveis oriundos da competição nas telecomunicações sem fio. Por exemplo, empresas detentoras de infraestrutura de transporte de telecomunicações têm começado a influenciar agressivamente o design de programas [software] e produtos em detrimento do consumidor. Com o amadurecimento do mercado de telecomunicações sem fio e o reconhecimento de que os aparelhos celulares tornaram-se um componente indispensável para muitos americanos, empresas detentoras de infraestrutura de transporte têm utilizado de sua considerável influência sobre o uso e design destes aparelhos para manutenção do controle e dos limites ao direito dos assinantes de executar aplicativos comunicacionais de sua escolha. Ao invés de transportarem as mensagens dos assinantes independentemente do conteúdo, empresas detentoras de infraestrutura de transporte de telecomunicações têm exercido cada vez mais controle sobre a forma como os consumidores acessam a internet móvel. Ao darem preferência a serviços próprios e ao afastarem seus rivais, ditas empresas têm desabilitado ou inutilizado interfaces amigáveis ao consumidor [consumer-friendly features] em dispositivos móveis. Além disso, as empresas detentoras de infraestrutura de transporte de telecomunicações têm implementado tais práticas em violação ao princípio Carterfone da FCC e às restrições constantes da decisão da Comissão em sua formulação original referente à autorização de venda conjugada [bundling] do terminal de acesso individual e do serviço celular. A Comissão deve agir agora para fazer valer a decisão Carterfone e para eliminar os empecilhos que impedem a fruição da totalidade dos benefícios da competição de preços e inovação nas telecomunicações sem fio. À luz destas consequências, a Skype respeitosamente requer que a Comissão deixe inequivocamente claro que o caso Carterfone será aplicado à indústria de telecomunicações sem fio, que inicie uma procedimento para avaliação das práticas de empresas detentoras de infraestrutura essencial de transporte de telecomunicações sem fio à luz do caso Carterfone e que crie um mecanismo orientado pela indústria [industry-led mechanism] para garantia de abertura das redes sem fio. Assim fazendo, a FCC garantirá que os consumidores mantenham o direito de executar aplicativos de sua escolha e que conectem dispositivos não-prejudiciais à rede sem fio. Finalmente, o envolvimento da Comissão nesta temática garantirá que as empresas detentoras de infraestrutura de transporte de telecomunicações não possam utilizar legitimamente de práticas de gestão de rede como desculpa para prática de comportamento prejudicial ao consumidor [anti-consumer]

Comercio electrónico transfronterizo en América Latina: estrategias y herramientas para las pymes y las empresas lideradas por mujeres

El comercio electrónico ofrece grandes oportunidades para las pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes) y las empresas lideradas por mujeres que buscan expandir sus mercados más allá de las fronteras nacionales. Eso se debe a que el comercio electrónico transfronterizo representa apenas una quinta parte del total de las transacciones de comercio electrónico en la región. Además, este segmento del electrónico transfronterizo crece a tasas superiores que su contraparte doméstica. Este documento revisa las distintas etapas por las que debe transitar una empresa para acceder al comercio electrónico transfronterizo. Las pymes que incursionan en el comercio electrónico transfronterizo deben superar desafíos en digitalización, financiamiento y conocimiento del mercado de exportación. Las mujeres empresarias enfrentan barreras adicionales como el acceso limitado a financiamiento, redes de apoyo y tecnología, además de la falta de modelos de liderazgo femeninos, lo que dificulta su éxito en este ámbito. Para impulsar el comercio electrónico transfronterizo, es clave usar plataformas (marketplaces) como Amazon, Alibaba o eBay, que facilitan el acceso a mercados internacionales. La transformación digital, que incluye la creación de tiendas en línea y la optimización de la logística y los pagos, es esencial. La capacitación continua y el marketing digital mejoran la visibilidad global, mientras que conocer las preferencias culturales y hábitos de compra del mercado objetivo asegura una estrategia efectiva. Al adoptar estas prácticas, las pymes y negocios liderados por mujeres pueden aumentar sus ventas internacionales, diversificar riesgos y competir en un entorno global en constante digitalización, garantizando así un crecimiento sostenible y exitoso.Resumen .-- Introducción .-- I. Oportunidades y pilares del comercio electrónico transfronterizo .-- II. Búsqueda de mercado y cumplimiento en el comercio electrónico transfronterizo .-- III. Promoción de mujeres empresarias en el comercio electrónico transfronterizo en América Latina .-- IV. Conclusiones

Environmental changes affect picoplanktonic composition in Antarctic Peninsula ponds

Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing one of the largest global warming events worldwide. Shallow water bodies generated by the melting of snow in summer are numerous, and they might act as sentinels of climate change due to their rapid response and ability to integrate catchment information. Shifts in climate can influence the structure of microbial communities which dominate these freshwaters ecosystems. Here, we characterize three ponds at Cierva Point (Antarctic Peninsula) by examining their physico-chemical and morphological characteristics and we explored how different factors modify the structure of the microbial community. We studied the abundance and biomass of heterotrophic bacteria, picocyanobacteria and picoeukaryote algae during January and February of two consecutive summers (2017 and 2018). We found that ponds had different limnological characteristics, due to their location, geomorphological features and presence of the surrounding flora and fauna. Physico-chemical parameters as well as microbial community differed between ponds, months and years. In 2017, most ponds were oligo to mesotrophic states. The larger accumulated rainfall (as a result of environmental changes on the Antarctic Peninsula) during 2018, particularly in February, causes nutrient runoff into water bodies. This affects those ponds with the highest seabird circulation, such as gentoo penguin, increasing eutrophication. As a result, picoplanktonic abundances were higher, and the community structure shifts to a largely heterotrophic bacteria dominated one. These results suggest that these communities could act as sentinels to environmental changes, anticipating a future with mostly hypertrophic ponds

Fish prey of Weddell seals, <i>Leptonychotes weddellii</i>, at Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, during the late summer

The study of the feeding habits of Weddell seals, Leptonychotes weddellii, in the area of west Antarctic Peninsula is essential to understand the role they play in the marine food webs, especially considering that this is one of the regions most affected by climate change. With the aim of detecting temporal changes in the fish predation pattern of seals, a total of 217 scats were collected at Hope Bay, during three consecutive summers (2003, 2004 and 2005). The family Nototheniidae comprised over 80% in numbers of fish preyed by seals. The Antarctic silverfish, Pleuragramma antarctica, was, by far, the most frequent and abundant prey species with a mean percentage frequency of occurrence of 48.7% and representing in average 52.1% in numbers of the fish consumed by seals. Other fish species of lesser importance were the nototheniids Trematomus newnesi, Lepidonotothen larseni, Gobionotothen gibberifrons and the channichthyid Chionodraco rastrospinosus. Temporal variation was observed not only in the relative proportions of the different fish prey taxa but also in the sizes of the dominant prey, P. antarctica. Given the high trophic vulnerability of this species to changes in abiotic factors and food web structure and dynamics, a possible influence of El Nino Southern Oscillation events of 2002–2003 and 2004–2005 should not be discarded. Moreover, special attention should be addressed to its population status, distribution and spatial/temporal availability as prey resource of upper trophic level consumers such as L. weddellii which largely depend on P. antarctica.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Análisis preliminar de la tasa de cambio a corto plazo de la irradiancia solar con aplicaciones en energía fotovoltaica

Las nubes son la principal fuente de variación de la irradiancia solar a escala de tiempos cortos, del orden de minutos. Analizar estas perturbaciones en la irradiancia global horizontal es de gran interés para los sistemas de generación fotovoltaicos, debido a que estos cambios repentinos afectan la calidad de la energía eléctrica que producen y podrían afectar la integración a la red eléctrica. El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar las tasas de variación de corto plazo de la irradiancia solar global en un plano horizontal debido a la nubosidad sobre la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Las mediciones de tierra son obtenidas por un piranómetro Kipp&Zonen CMP-21, perteneciente a la red de radiación solar SAVER-Net. Los resultados del análisis muestran que el mayor número de tasas de variación se da en intervalos de 1 minuto. Se observa que durante el año 2017, se presentaron más de 1300 saltos de 300 W/m2. La cantidad de días en los cuales se presentó por lo menos una de estas variaciones fue de 146. Por lo tanto, se concluye que casi un 50% del total de días en un año se producen saltos mayores a 300 W/m2. Esto afecta la eficiencia y vida útil de los inversores presentes en los sistemas fotovoltaicos.The clouds are the main source of variation of solar irradiance on a short time scale, of the order of minutes. Analyzing these disturbances in horizontal global irradiance is of great interest for photovoltaic generation systems, because these sudden changes affect the quality of the electrical energy they produce and their capacity factor. The objective of this work is to characterize the short term variation rates of the global solar irradiance in a horizontal plane due to the cloudiness over the city of Buenos Aires. Earth measurements are obtained by a Kipp & Zonen CMP-21 pyranometer, belonging to the SAVER-Net solar radiation network. The results of the analysis show that the greatest number of variation rates occurs in 1-minute intervals. It is observed that during the year 2017, more than 1300 jumps of 300 W / m2 were presented. The number of days in which at least one of these variations occurred was 146. Therefore, it is concluded that almost 50% of the total of days in a year produce jumps greater than 300 W / m2. This affects the efficiency and useful life of the investors present in photovoltaic systems.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES